As we mow down the classes and what might be some of the most poignant fingermarks on each grade, the 2017 class is one that has been surrounded with some intrigue for some time and rightfully so. 

Two conventional big men and a lead guard sit near atop of our latest HoopSeen.com 2017 Rankings. Wendell Carter, DeAndre Ayton and Trevon Duval are fending off some tough competition for the top three spots on our respective list as it should be quite the enticing months ahead with what the class brings to the college level and beyond.

WHO IS THE BEST?

While many of the hoops pundits throughout the nation have labeled DeAndre Ayton as the hands down, best prospect in the 2017 class, yet also quite possibly, the best in all of high school basketball. We might politely disagree as Harry Giles may have something to say about that, but we actually went a different direction in our rankings as we placed Wendell Carter as the top dog in his class. 

The Peach State native combines a concoction of a face-up game, elite rebounding skills, intangibles, a well-oiled motor, and to top of it all off, an unbelievable back to the basket scoring game capable of using either hand in the low post and out to 10-feet away from the goal. Yes, Ayton is an elite, elite recruit….we don’t disagree there. However, Carter is just so productive already and he continues to get better in supplanting himself as the best that there is in 2017.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR POST TRAVEL SEASON TOP 50 RANKINGS FOR THE CLASS OF 2017

POINTS GUARDS, PLEASE STAND UP!

You don’t have to scroll down our list of rankings to find a point guard as Delaware native and explosive lead guard Trevon Duval sits at number three within our list of best players and prospects in the 2017 class. Duval is in the conversation for best primary ball-handler in all of the land, even amongst the elite tier of 2016s such as Dennis Smith, Frank Jackson, and De’Aaron Fox. However, there is a bit of a tumble from the top tier in 2017 to the next and if you play fantasy football this fall, Duval is like Rob Gronkowski at the tight end spot, its him and the rest of his fellow peers. 

Is Troy Brown a point guard? Can Trae Young become more of a consistent distributor and settle less for his perimeter jumper? Is Paul Scruggs deeply underrated? Throw in Matt Coleman, Jaylen Hands, Quade Green, Tremont Waters, and several others, and while there definitely are enough high-level lead guards to go around, there is a clear separation up top. Number one is tightly secured by Duval and if anyone is willing to speak up in exclaiming that they might be the best floor general, I am sure the St. Benedict’s product would be willing to fight to retain that spot as the elite of the elite in 2017.  

SIZE, SIZE, AND MORE SIZE

Sure, the amount of bigs atop of the rankings in the 2017 class is as good as it ever has been. Wendell Carter, DeAndre Ayton, Mohamed Bamba, Ikey Obiagu, Nick Richards, Austin Wiley, Brandon McCoy, and Zach Brown all stand at 6-foot-10 and above…that’s just insane! However, what needs to be recognized is just how big some of the wings are in this class and the scoring prowess they bring with it. 

Jarred Vanderbilt is a 6-foot-7 wing-forward type is absolutely relentless in the open floor and a killer matchup issue. Michael Porter stands 6-foot-8 and is a true 3-man with a buttery stroke and bouncy body at the basket. DJ Harvey stands nearly 6-foot-6 and has the perimeter acumen to be a solid secondary ball-handler at either wing spot, putting him in the mold of the super valuable, 3-and-Done type in the evolving NBA. Throw in the likes of Troy Brown, John Petty, MJ Walker, and Kris Wilkes and the 2017 class brings not only talent to the floor, but optimum size and ball skills at their respective spot on the floor. 

CREAM RISES TO THE TOP

It is fairly known that big men usually develop much later on compared to the other spots on the floor. However, whether it is because of less eyes placed on them, physical maturation, or ones talent being taken seriously, there are always a few that pop out of relative obscurity and become national names. 

This time last year, did the majority of the nation know the names of Hamidou Diallo, Kevin Knox, and Devontae Shuler? I think not. The talent was always there for the trio of top tier recruits, however it has been their diligent work ethic and continued production that has made them such highly touted prospects in 2017. As we enter the fall and winter months, who might be able to add their names to the list of blowup candidates that could rise into the top-50 of rankings by next spring? I am taking Aamir Simms of the Blue Ridge School in Virginia, Jaylen Sebree at University Heights High School in Kentucky, and Daniel Gafford, a recent in-state commit to the Arkansas Razorbacks program.